Paralegal

From time to time, I'm going to highlight the various majors that fall under the Business, Social and Behavioral Sciences Division. Today I'm focusing on paralegals, but stay tuned for information on other majors in the weeks and months to come.

What is a paralegal? According to Professor Marcy Delesandri, paralegal program director at Lone Star College-North Harris, “The short answer to this is ‘anything an attorney does except give legal advice or argue before the bar.’"

Paralegals are trained to assist the attorney in all aspects of the law. The paralegal drafts documents and pleadings, does legal and factual research and investigation, and acts as liaison between the firm and the client. Further, a paralegal analyzes and summarizes documents, compiles reports, attends and assists at depositions, hearings and trial. Finally, a paralegal organizes, develops and maintains case management and file systems, and files documents with the court.

Will a paralegal do all of the above? It depends on where one works. If one is in a small, general practice, the paralegal may have more responsibilities. On the other hand, if one is working as a paralegal in a large firm, one might specialize in a single area.

What does a paralegal make? In the greater Houston area, salaries are generally higher in the downtown area. In downtown Houston, a paralegal may start at $30,000 or more. Once a paralegal gains experience, one’s salary tends to rise fairly steadily. In some cases, experienced paralegals in large metropolitan areas can earn more than $75,000 annually. According to Professor Delesandri, an entry-level paralegal has a much higher chance of getting hired if he/she has graduated from an American Bar Association (ABA)-approved program.

What kind of education does one need to become a paralegal? At Lone Star College-North Harris, there are two educational tracks. If a student already has an Associate’s or a Bachelor’s Degree, the student can enroll in the paralegal certificate program. All others will enroll in the Associate of Applied Science-Paralegal program. Both the certificate and AAS degree are ABA-approved.

What is the job outlook for paralegals? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of paralegals and legal assistants is projected to grow 22 percent between 2006 and 2016, much faster than average for all occupations.” For more information about this occupation from the BLS, go to: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos114.htm

For more information about the paralegal program at Lone Star College-North Harris, please contact Professor Marcy Delesandri at 281.618.5735.